Distillation furnace



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14, 1949 awe/WM Hon A20 (714/201.

Jan. M), 156 CHURCH 2,730,081

DISTILLATION FURNACE Filed Oct. 14, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m ZI 70a vwwwto'u How/e227 0/0201.

Jan. 10, 1956 H. CHURCH 2,730,081

DISTILLATION FURNACE Filed Oct. 14, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwue/wbcw How/@222 Chl/ECH.

DISTILLATION FURNACE Howard Church, Baton Rouge, La., assiguor to Kaiser Aluminum Chemical Corporation, acorporatinn of Delaware Application October 14, 1949', Serial No. 121,385

2 Claims. Cl. 122-248) This invention relates to a. furnace. for heating'fluids,

more particularly, for heating gas-solids suspensions.

It is an object of the invention to provide a furnace or the like wherein gases, liquids and gas-solids suspensions can be rapidly and uniformly. heated.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a furnace which is efficiently adapted to heat liquids, gases and finely divided solids suspended, in gases, and which is easily assembled, and isalso easily disassembled to allow access to, the interior. ofthe' furnace for repairs.

Itis a particular, object of the, invention-,- to provide a furnace of, rugged, simple construction adapted to ease of, assembly and disassembly, and adapted to heatrapidly anduniformly a liquid orv gas, or a finely divided solid material suspended in a gas.

These and other objects of the. invention willbe apparent from the following description and, the appended claims.

The furnace of this inventioncomprises an elongated muffie chamber, preferably built in sections; as detailed,

hereinbelow of suitable transverse cross section, provided with a, burner or burners atone end, to introduce hot gases, a, flue at the opposite, endior any other suitable,

point for venting the gases, and a, coil disposed more or, less coaxially with the chamber andso positioned and supported, as detailedhereinbelow, as to present a-maximum of unobstructed surface toradiationfromthe interior walls of the. chamber.

Referring now. to the accompanyingdrawings,

Fig. l is a cross section showing the furnace chamber. and a coil disposed therein, the coil being shown partly in cross sectionand partly in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, but showing the entire cross section of the furnace;

Fig. 3 isan elevationalview, partly broken away to show the reinforcing, of the front or-burner end of the furnace chamber;

Fig. 4 is a. perspective of. any oneof'several identical bottom sections, partlybroken away to show reinforcing;

Fig. 5 is a perspective of any one of several identical top sections; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the reinforcing unit of the top sections.

Referring now to the drawings, a coil 1 is disposed in and coaxially with respect to a furnace chamber 2. Chamber 2 is constructed of a plurality of precast, refractory sections or segments comprising front or burner end section 3, rear end section 4, a plurality of identical or substantially identical bottom sections 5 having rein forcing side members 20 and reinforcing bottom members 21 and a plurality of identical or substantially identical top sections 6. Each bottom section 5 has a semicylindrical interior surface, as has each top section 6, such that when the several sections are assembled they define the cylindrical mufiie chamber 2.

As stated, each of these sections is precast; it is formed from any suitable refractory material such as a concrete 2,739,081 Patented Jan. 10, 1956 mix of graded aggregate or grout, and refractory cement; it is. suitably reinforced asdetailed hereinbelow; and it is of such design as to make a snug, flush fit with the cooperating or adjacent sections. Thus, each top section 6 is designed to rest, with its arched top upwards, squarely on top of the upwardly projecting portions of bottom section 5; and each end section 3 or 4 is designed to fitsnugly and flush against an assembled bottom section 5 and top section 6; the whole assembled structure presenting substantially unbroken interior and exterior surfaces. By this means, not only is the assembled structure readily assembled and disassembled, but the parts are interchangeable and where several such furnaces are employed, sectionsmay be interchanged between furnaces. Theseveral sections may be cemented together with any suitable cement, such as clay, asbestos cement, and the like, as well as by other means such as nuts and bolts, latches, tongue and grooves, etc.

The front or burner. end section 3 of the furnace (Fig. 3) is provided internally with straight H-bearns 10 andll along its bottom sides, respectively, and with an arched reinforcing member in the form of angle iron 12 along thetop. A horizontal reinforcing bar 13 runs rovided with burner orifices 14 forinsertion of burners.

15 (Fig. 1). Checker-work 9' is also disposed vertically from wall to wall'within the furnace chamber and is adapted to evenly distribute the flames throughout the furnace. Also, feed line 40 adapted to feed material to be treated is positioned, at any suitable place, preferably. the top, on the segment nearest the side of the checkerwork and opposite the gas burner. An orifice 41 is provided in the segment whereby coil 1 may communicate with feed'line 40.

Rear end section 4 is similarly constructed but, instead of burner orifices 14, it is provided with anorifice 8. leading to a title 812. Anvorifice 51 is provided in the segment adjacent the discharge end of the coil 1, whereby coil 1. may communicate with the discharge line 50.

Each bottom section 5 is provided internally with a side reinforcing member 26 and with bottom reinforcing members 21, both suitably in the form of H-beams. Each of the beams 2.0" and 21 advantageously have secured to them one or more transverse bars or rods 21a running lengthwise. of section ,5, to provide additional reinforcement.

In each of the end sections 3 and 4 and bottom sections 5, the bottom reinforcingmembers (H-bearns 10 and 21, respectively), protrude slightly at each end and thus provide means for gripping and transporting the section. Eye hooks 10a and 200, respectively, shown on the drawings, provide the means for gripping and transporting the respective sections.

Each top section 6 (Figure 6) is reinforced by two arched or arcuate angle irons 22, having expansion notches 22a, to which are secured cross bar reinforcing members 23, one such bar being secured at the top of the arch and at least one on each side portion, as shown. Also secured to the top of the arch and between the angle irons, is a lifting hook 24 with an eye 24a adapted for gripping and transporting the section.

It can be said, as shown also in the drawings, that the reinforcing members are embedded in the precast refractory sections or segments.

It will be understood that suitable openings are pro vided toward the front and rear of furnace chamber 2 for the ends of coil 1; and it will be further understood that in casting the several sections 3, 4, and 6, suitable framework or molds will be employed and that the various reinforcing members will be secured, at least temporarily until the concrete has set, as by means of wires, nutsvand bolts, etc. a

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, coil 1 is disposed concentrically with the cylindrical mufiie chamber 2 defined by the interior walls of furnace. This is accomplished in a way to provide adequate mechanical support for the coil yet to leave a maximum of the coil surface in unobstructed communication with, i. e., exposed to, the walls of the furnace chamber. These ends are accomplished as follows:

Brickwork 30 extending along the length of the interior of the base of the furnace is adapted to support coil 1. The bricks comprising this supporting structure are provided at appropriate places with grooves 31 to prevent slippage of the coil along brickwork 30. Lateral support against rolling and sagging is provided by brick inserts 32 cemented into, and extending from, recesses 33, each such brick insert 32 being grooved to engage a minimum portion of the coil surface. Brick inserts 32 may be provided at any desired point, i. e., for each turn of coil 1, for every other turn, or for every third or fourth turn. Brick inserts 32 may also be in staggered relation; e. g., each odd turn numbering from the front end being provided with brick inserts 32 on the right hand side and each even turn with similar inserts on the left hand side. The bricks of bottom brickwork 30 may be joined with a suitable refractory cement,

although it has been found adequate merely to lay them together without cement.

In assembling the furnace structure, bottom sections 5 are first assembled end-to-end, eye hooks a in the ends of H-beams 21 being used to grip these sections and transport them to their proper places. Brickwork is then laid in place and cemented, if desired. Coil 1 is then properly positioned and top sections 6 are laid in place. Finally, end sections 3 and 4 are placed in their proper positions and secured to the terminal sections 5 and 6. Suitable connections are made for fuel and air to the burners 15. Also, the feed and efiiuent lines to and from coil 1 are connected.

A furnace of this construction, having sections made of a graded aggregate and refractory cement concrete, a stainless steel coil and coil-supporting brickwork and brick inserts of chrome brick has been successfully used in treating a gas-solids suspension consisting of hydrogen as the gas and carbothermic magnesium dust as the solids. Carbothermic magnesium dust is a very finely divided mixture of magnesium metal, magnesium oxide and carbon produced by thermal reduction of magnesium oxide with carbon, followed by shock chilling the eifinent product (carbon monoxide and magnesium metal vapor). od, contains about magnesium metal. dust is pyrophoric, ordinary recovery methods can not be used. The magnesium was, however, successfully, rapidly and continuously recovered by dispersing the dust in hydrogen gas and passing the suspension through The dust, as commonly produced by this meth- Since the the coil in apparatus of the type described; the coil being heated to about 2000 F. by combustion of natural gas in the furnace. The resulting gas-solids mixture, consisting of hydrogen and magnesium metal vapor as the gas phase and magnesium oxide and carbon as the solid phase, was then subjected to filtration through a porous carbon filter to filter the gas phase free of solids. The

. filtered gas phase was then cooled to recover solid magnesium metal.

This application of the furnace involved exceptionally high temperatures and required rapid, uniform heating and close control over temperatures. Notwithstanding these exacting conditions, the simply constructed, rugged apparatus of the invention performed well over a long period of time.

Among the advantages of the apparatus of the invention, besides its simplicity of design, ruggedness and ease of assembly and disassembly, is the placement of the coil and its support, which insures adequate mechanical support and substantially uniform heating of the coil.

I claim:

1. In a furnace construction comprising an elongated cylindrical mutfle chamber, and walls, a fluid-carrying helical coil disposed axially within said chamber and supported in concentric relationship with and spaced from the interior walls of said chamber and having its inlet at one end of said chamber and its outlet at the other end of said chamber, and means for heating said chamber, the improvement comprising a plurality of substantially identical precast bottom refractory segments having substantially semi-cylindrical interior surfaces and assembled end to end to form the bottom and a portion of the side walls of said chamber, a plurality of substantially identical precast top refractory segments having semi-cylindrical interior and exterior surfaces and assembled end to end superimposed upon and secured to said assembled bottom segments and forming the top and portions of the side walls of said chamber, arcuate metallic reinforcing members embedded within each of said top refractory segments, each of said arcuate reinforcing members being provided with expansion notches, and metallic reinforcing members embedded within each of said bottom refractory segments.

2. Furnace construction according to claim 1 wherein exterior means are attached to each of said reinforcing members for gripping and transporting each said top segment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 740,039 Parmley "Sept. 29, 1903 848,564 Mitchell Mar. 26, 1907 925,019 Parks June 15, 1909 1,040,481 Worthington Oct. 8, 1912 1,393,485 Barber Oct. 11, 1921 2,046,098 Vance et al -June 30, 1936 2,566,627 Paulsen Sept. 4, 1951 

1. IN A FURNACE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL MUFFLE CHAMBER, AND WALLS, A FLUID-CARRYING HELICAL COIL DISPOSED AXIALLY WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND SUPPORTED IN CONCENTRIC RELATIONSHIP WITH AND SPACED FROM THE INTERIOR WALLS OF SAID CHAMBER AND HAVING ITS INLET AT ONE END OF SAID CHAMBER AND ITS OUTLET AT THE OTHER END OF SAID CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR HEATING SAID CHAMBER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY INDENTICAL PRECAST BOTTOM REFRACTORY SEGMENTS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY SEMI-CYLINDRICAL INTERIOR SURFACES AND ASSEMBLED END TO END TO FORM THE BOTTOM AND A PORTION OF THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID CHAMBER, A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL PRECAST TOP REFRACTORY SEGMENTS HAVING SEMI-CYLINDRICAL INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES AND ASSEMBLED ENE TO END SUPERIMPOSED UPON AND SECURED TO SAID ASSEMBLED BOTTOM SEGMENTS AND FORMING THE TOP AND PORTIONS OF THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID CHAMBER, ARCUATE METALLIC REINFORCING MEMBERS EMBEDDED WITHIN EACH OF SAID TOP REFRACTORY SEGMENTS, EACH OF SAID ARCUATE REINFORCING MEMBERS BEING PROVIDED WITH EXPANSION NOTCHES, AND METALLIC REINFORCING MEMBERS EMBEDDED WITHIN EACH OF SAID BOTTOM REFRACTORY SEGMENTS. 